Download ala infectious diseases policy - Australian Lacrosse Association

Adopted May 2009 ALA INFECTIOUS DISEASES POLICY A number of blood‐borne infectious diseases can be transmitted during body contact and collision
sports. The more serious include viral hepatitis and HIV (AIDS) infections. It is important to
remember that more common diseases, such as the common cold, flu, and herpes simplex may be
spread during body contact sports. These may be extremely debilitating and potentially disastrous for the team and/or individual. These
diseases may be spread by direct contact between broken skin or mucous membranes and infected
blood and other body fluids and substances. Note: There is no current evidence that sweat, urine or tears will transmit these infective viruses. The following recommendations may reduce the risk of transmitting infectious diseases. All open cuts and abrasions must be reported and treated immediately. Players: 1. It is every participant’s responsibility to maintain strict personal hygiene at all times, in all
activities on and off the field (this includes safe sex by the use of condoms), as this is an
effective method of controlling the spread of disease. 2. It is strongly recommended that all participants involved in contact/collision sports and
playing under adult rules be vaccinated against Hepatitis B. 3. All participants with prior evidence of these diseases are strongly advised to obtain
confidential advice and clearance from a doctor prior to participation. Team Areas: 1. It is the Host Association’s responsibility to ensure that the dressing rooms are clean and
tidy. Particular attention should be paid to hand basins, toilets and showers. Adequate soap,
paper hand towels, brooms, refuse disposal bins and disinfectants must be available at all
times. 2. Communal bathing areas (e.g. spas) should be strongly discouraged. These may be the source of other diseases (e.g. Legionnaire’s disease) as well as facilitating the spread of the blood borne diseases mentioned above. 3. The practices of spitting and urinating in team areas is not permitted. AUSTRALIAN LACROSSE ASSOCIATION LIMITED ACN 124 440 124 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS: NEW SOUTH WALES LACROSSE • QUEENSLAND LACROSSE ASSOCIATION • LACROSSE SOUTH AUSTRALIA LACROSSE TASMANIA • LACROSSE VICTORIA • LACROSSE WESTERN AUSTRALIA
4. 5. 6. 7. All clothing, equipment and surfaces contaminated by blood must be treated as potentially
infectious. Equipment and surfaces should be cleaned immediately if soiling or spills occur. When cleaning up blood and body substances ƒ Gloves must be worn ƒ If the blood spill is large, confine and contain the spill (i.e. try not to let it run
everywhere) ƒ Remove the bulk of the blood and body substances with absorbent material, e.g. paper
towels ƒ Place the paper towels in a sealed plastic bag and dispose with normal garbage, Clean
the spill site with a detergent solution ƒ Wipe the site with disposable towels soaked in a 1:10 solution of bleach. Routine laundry procedures are adequate for the processing of all linen. Routine washing procedures using hot water and detergents are adequate for decontamination
of most laundry items. Therefore clothing with dried blood on it can, if necessary, be soaked in
cold water only to release the blood prior to a normal hot detergent wash. Gloves should be worn when handling or washing soiled linen. General utility gloves, i.e. rubber
household gloves, can be used for this task. The gloves should be washed in detergent after use,
or discarded if they are peeled, cracked, discoloured, torn, punctured or have other evidence of
deterioration. Contaminated linen soiled with blood or body substances should be transported in a leakproof
plastic bag to the laundry site simply to contain the body fluid and stop it spreading to the other
laundry items. Contaminated linen does not need to be segregated in the hot detergent wash. Sharing of towels, shaving razors, face washers and drink containers MUST NOT occur. It is strongly recommended that all personnel working in contact/collision sport team areas
should be vaccinated against Hepatitis B. Water containers should be available for each individual player and not shared by players as
bleeding around the mouth is common in contact sports. Minimising the Risk of HIV and Viral Hepatitis Transmission: The following are principals recommended by SMA and ANCARD to help further reduce the low
possibility of HIV or Viral Hepatitis transmission while participating in sports which involve direct body
contact or where bleeding may be expected to occur. 1. Those attending to bleeding players should wear non‐utility gloves, i.e. disposable latex or vinyl
gloves which must never be reused. These must be worn when: direct contact is anticipated with blood or body substances, mucous
membranes, or non‐intact skin, as when attending to first‐aid of a bleeding player or handling
items or contact surfaces contaminated with blood or body substances. Gloves must be changed and discarded as soon as they are torn or punctured or after contact
with each player. Hands must be washed after removal and disposal of gloves. Adopted May 2009 2. 3. 4. 5. Disposable resuscitation devices should be available and accessible. They should be used for
anyone requiring mouth‐to‐mouth contact between the injured person and the resuscitator.
If a player has a skin lesion she must be immediately reported to the responsible official and
medical attention sought. If a skin lesion is observed it must be immediately cleansed with suitable antiseptic and
securely covered. If a bleeding wound occurs the individual’s participation must be interrupted until the
bleeding has been stopped and the wound is both rinsed with plenty of water and if dirty,
washed with soap and covered with a waterproof dressing. 6. Separate first‐aid room should be available for the treatment and suturing of wounds. Action to be Taken in the Event of a Blood Spill: In an accident where bleeding occurs and if – 1. skin is penetrated or broken, the immediate first aid is to clean the wound with soap and
water only. If water is not available a 70% alcohol hand rub should be used. 2. Clothes are bloodstained, they should be changed for clean ones once the wound has been
treated. They should be handled with rubber gloves and treated as above. 3. Blood gets on the skin, irrespective of whether they are cuts or abrasions, wash well with
soap and water. 4. Eyes are contaminated rinse the area gently but thoroughly, with the eyes open, with water
or normal saline. 5. A player is wearing contact lenses : • Leave the contact lenses in while the eye is irrigated with water or normal saline, the
contact lenses are acting as a barrier to the eye. • When the eye has been adequately irrigated for several minutes, remove the contact
lenses and clean in the normal manner. • They can be reused. They do not have to be cleaned any differently than normal and
they do not need to be discarded. 6. Blood gets in the mouth, spit it out and rinse the mouth with water several times. Where there is an additional concern about infection, medical advice should be sought from a
physician or clinic where there is experience in the management of HIV infection. Game Officials: 1. Officials must report all open cuts and abrasions at the first available opportunity. 2. It is strongly recommended that those who officiate in body contact and collision sports
should be vaccinated against Hepatitis B. 3. All contaminated clothing and equipment must be replaced prior to the player being allowed
to resume play. 4. If bleeding should recur, the above procedures must be repeated. 5. If bleeding cannot be controlled and the wound securely covered, the player must not
continue in the game.